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KILDARE READERS’ FESTIVAL – Tangled Webs – Book Launch with Maria McDonald

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Join us for the launch of Maria McDonald’s new novel Tangled Webs. Jane Best and Agnes Williams are known in Belfast for taking in lodgers at Riverdale House, the business they started together after losing their husbands in the Anglo-Zulu War. For forty years, they’ve welcomed young women in need of a respectable place to

Free event

KILDARE READERS’ FESTIVAL – Poor: Grit, courage, and the life-changing value of self-belief

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Join Katriona O’Sullivan and a guest for a discussion on Katriona’s book Poor. Poor is a memoir describing the impact of childhood poverty.  Katriona's story recounts her journey from poverty, teenage pregnancy, homelessness to graduating with a PhD from Trinity College Dublin and becoming an award-winning lecturer whose work challenges barriers to education. Poor is her stirring argument for the importance of giving hope, practical

free, booking essential

KILDARE READERS’ FESTIVAL – Sunday Morning Session: Judith Mok & Michael O’Loughlin in conversation with Dermot Bolger

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Writer and soprano, Judith Mok was born in Holland and studied at the Royal Conservatory of the Hague. She has toured the world as a classical soprano, moving to Dublin in 2002, where she is a leading voice coach working with noted singers from the classical and pop worlds. Her books include the novels De Beul (2000) and Gael (2006),

free, booking essential
Recurring

Fighting Words for Primary School

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge is the Kildare Partner of Fighting Words. We present creative writing workshops for primary and secondary schools. Fighting Words workshops are always free of charge to the participants. Upcoming Fighting Words Workshops for Primary School: Monday 25th September, 10:30am Monday 9th October, 10:30am Monday 27th November, 10:30am Monday 11th December, 10:30am

Free

Beau is Afraid

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Beau Wasserman lives in a constant state of paranoia and anxiety. He plans to visit his mother, but disappoints her when he misses his flight. When his mother is then killed in a freak accident, Beau scrambles to make the funeral. However, he keeps encountering strange and treacherous obstacles - beginning with a chaotic home

€7 – €9
Recurring

Humans: A Robot Musical

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

The seventh best musical robot group in the world - well, they were fifth but it went to their heads - are making a NEW musical. It’s going to be performed to all robots everywhere and it’s going to explain what Humans are. Everything will be fine, they just need some answers. Meanwhile 10 year

€6

WhistleBlast: Petrushka & More for Schools Galore!

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

By Igor Stravinsky Arranged by Conor Linehan Nationwide multimedia performance of a fantastic and famous symphonic classic plus other great repertoire to give young secondary school students an introduction to incredibly moving composed live music in a highly accessible concert. Art and music linked together to tap in on young people’s imaginations to encourage an

€30

The Ennio Morricone Experience

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

This recital highlights Ennio Morricone’s masterpieces and brings the listener on a wonderful journey in celebration of the Maestro’s great contribution to Italian & International music and to the world of film. Accompanying his wonderful pieces, The Ennio Morricone Experience will also perform compositions by the musicians that inspired him, and his fellow Italian composers

€20 – €22

The Curious Case of Albert Cashier: Lincoln’s ‘Lady’ Soldier

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

 “Lincoln wanted soldiers. I wanted excitement”                        Belvidere, Illinois, 1862: A young Irishman, Albert D.J. Cashier, enlists with the Union Army in the Civil War and becomes a decorated hero. But unknown to his comrades, Private Cashier is waging an internal war all of his own. When he is fifty years a veteran an indiscreet doctor

€16 – €18
Recurring

Fighting Words for Secondary School

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge is the Kildare Partner of Fighting Words. We present creative writing workshops for primary and secondary schools. Fighting Words workshops are always free of charge to the participants. Upcoming Fighting Words Workshops for Secondary School: Monday 18th September, 10:30am Monday 2nd October, 10:30am Monday 16th October, 10:30am Monday 6th November, 10:30am

Free

Small, Slow but Steady

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

An award-winning sports drama. Keiko surprises everyone when she overcomes adversity to win her first two boxing fights. But when an unexpected incident threatens the closure of her gym, she is pushed further than she thought possible. A powerful adaption of Keiko Ogasawara's memoir Makenaide! Directed by Shô Miyake | 99 mins | Cert TBC

€7 – €9
Recurring

Music & Sensory Play with Catherine Hartnett

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Music and sensory play class for toddlers aged 1 to 3 years and parents in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Toddlers will be given the opportunity to learn through music, movement and play, and explore different textures and sounds. This class, led by music teacher Catherine Hartnett promotes adult-child interaction as well as interactions between

€10
Recurring

Lost Lear by Dan Colley

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

“Who is it that can tell me who I am?” - King Lear, Act I Scene IV Following the national and international tour of A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, Dan Colley and his company have turned their sights on a very (very) loose adaptation of King Lear, examining the self and that part

€16 – €18
Recurring

Lost Lear by Dan Colley

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

“Who is it that can tell me who I am?” - King Lear, Act I Scene IV Following the national and international tour of A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings, Dan Colley and his company have turned their sights on a very (very) loose adaptation of King Lear, examining the self and that part

€16 – €18

Sunlight

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Former heroin addict Leon (Barry Ward) loves his best friend Iver (Liam Carney), his former sponsor, the man who saved him.  Now Iver is terminally ill and Leon is his devoted carer. But Iver has decided to end his life on his terms, peacefully, with the assistance of nurse Maria, who specialises in assisted dying.

€7 – €9
Recurring

Newbridge Musical Theatre Presents Thank You For the Music – A Tribute to ABBA

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Experience the incredible music of ABBA live this October as Newbridge Musical Theatre presents Thank You For The Music: A Musical Tribute To ABBA. Featuring many of Kildare’s leading performers, Thank You For The Music celebrates the iconic hits of one of the greatest and most beloved pop groups of all time. From early chart-toppers such as

€15
Recurring

Newbridge Musical Theatre Presents Thank You For the Music – A Tribute to ABBA

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Experience the incredible music of ABBA live this October as Newbridge Musical Theatre presents Thank You For The Music: A Musical Tribute To ABBA. Featuring many of Kildare’s leading performers, Thank You For The Music celebrates the iconic hits of one of the greatest and most beloved pop groups of all time. From early chart-toppers such as

€15
Recurring

Halloween Flipbook Animation Workshop with Joseph Orr

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Spooky season is upon us and what better way to celebrate than to delve into the frightful world of flipbooks. Join us for this 90-minute workshop where you will learn to create a flipbook animation featuring your favourite Halloween monster. Flipbooks are ideal for those interested in drawing and animation. You will learn how to

€12

Mavka: The Forest Song

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

In an enchanted Ukrainian forest, a spirited Mavka nymph falls in love with Lucas, a village artist. Their forbidden romance faces challenges from disapproving spirits and Mavka's protective father. As a dark force threatens the forest, Mavka and Lucas embark on a journey to save their worlds, learning about love, bravery, and the interconnectedness of

€4

Fred Cooke & Julie Jay’s Marriage Counselling

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Fred Cooke ("I love Fred" - Tommy Tiernan) and Julie Jay ("Riotous Comedy" - The Irish Times) are back with their show Marriage Counselling, so-named because their relationship is quite literally hanging on by a thread. This year they are thrilled to be up the duff again after Julie orchestrated a surprise pregnancy, with her

€22

Music Network Presents Sultan Stevenson Trio with special guest Denys Baptiste

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Led by a trailblazing young pianist and composer the Sultan Stevenson Trio is taking the UK jazz scene by storm. Add legendary saxophonist and Mercury Music Prize winner Denys Baptiste and you are in for a real musical treat this October. Stevenson has emerged as a musical force to be reckoned with, and his trio

€15 – €18

BrickFlicks and Movie Making Halloween Camp

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Become an animator and a film-maker in this special BrickFlicks and Movie Making Halloween Camp! Witches will fly and houses will be haunted as you learn how to build spooky animations. Then turn the camera around and create your own haunted live action movie.  With plenty of hands-on learning and simple demonstrations, Createschool will take

€100

Halloween Art & Craft Camp with artist Virginia Byrne

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Get ready for a fun four-day program designed to unleash your imagination and storytelling skills! This course, tailored for kids aged 8 to 12, offers a dynamic exploration of creativity, and bringing ideas to life through engaging activities. The program is divided into two modules. During days 1 and 2, you'll immerse yourself in the

€120

Recurring

I AM BABA

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

I AM BABA a show for babies aged 0-12 months created by Anna Newell Funded by the Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon Presented in association with The Civic, Tallaght I AM BABA is a theatre adventure for babies created by internationally renowned theatre director Anna Newell (www.annanewell.ie) and composer David Goodall.  Their shows for early years have

€10

COMEDY: Chris Kent – Back At It

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Cork man Chris Kent makes his first appearance on Riverbanks stage with his brand new show Back At It. After a dose of the real world (having gone back to the day job as an electrician), Chris found himself with two jobs and the ridiculous notion of trying to buy a house. It turns out

€20

The Perfect Immigrant

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

After a sold-out run at The New Theatre, Dublin Fringe Festival 2022 and a short run at Smock Alley 2022, The Perfect Immigrant is on tour! What else does a young Black man have to say if it isn’t about racism? Too busy trying to be an adult, leaving Nigeria and settling in Ireland, he

€14 – €16
Recurring

Fighting Words for Secondary School

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge is the Kildare Partner of Fighting Words. We present creative writing workshops for primary and secondary schools. Fighting Words workshops are always free of charge to the participants. Upcoming Fighting Words Workshops for Secondary School: Monday 18th September, 10:30am Monday 2nd October, 10:30am Monday 16th October, 10:30am Monday 6th November, 10:30am

Free

Afire

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Writer Leon and photographer Felix travel to a holiday home on the Baltic coast for the summer - Leon needs to finish his second book, while Felix works on his portfolio. Their plans are upended when they arrive to find Nadja, an unexpected houseguest, already settled in. Initially irritated by the fun-loving Nadja and her

€7 – €9
Recurring

Out of the Ordinary / As an nGnách – Virtual Reality Opera Experience

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Experience the world’s first virtual reality community opera with Irish National Opera. A virtual reality community opera about winning/losing society’s battle for survival. Your in-the-moment reactions decide what ending you will see. Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách tells the tale of a community forced to flee their barren homeland, which, due to their own actions,

€5

Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách – Virtual Reality Opera Experience

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Experience the world’s first virtual reality community opera with Irish National Opera. Out of the Ordinary/As an nGnách tells the tale of a community forced to flee their barren homeland, which, due to their own actions, can no longer sustain them. Nalva, our main character, builds a boat to take her people on an epic journey

County Kildare Decade of Commemorations Committee Presents Birth of a Nation

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

County Kildare Decade of Commemorations celebrate the end of a successful programme with a musical extravaganza set against the backdrop of Irish history up to the founding of the modern Irish State. The Birth of a Nation concert features songs and music from the period. It was a time of significant change, which impacted the

Free event, booking advised

Kildare Jazz Festival: Gustavo de Morais Quartet

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Gustavo de Morais Quartet brings the essence of Brazilian music with a contemporary touch, they bring in their repertoire compositions of renowned Brazilian composers as well as original compositions. GUSTAVO DE MORAIS - GUITAR Gustavo de Morais, a Brazilian guitarist living in Ireland, blends his Brazilian background with modern music. He accompanies and improvises, bringing

€10

Kildare Jazz Festival

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

We are thrilled to announce that the inaugural Kildare Jazz Festival will take place in Riverbank Arts Centre this November. Curated by Kasia Eliasz and supported by the Festival Investment Scheme Funding from The Arts Council and Riverbank Arts Centre, the Kildare Jazz Festival is set to become a highlight in Kildare’s music calendar. Friday

Kildare Jazz Festival: Lauren Kinsella Trio

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Award winning vocalist Lauren Kinsella brings her new trio to Kildare Jazz Festival featuring two highly acclaimed British musicians; saxophonist Julian Siegel and pianist Liam Noble. Together the trio will explore some of the most celebrated song writers and singers in history from Dolly Parton and Sarah Vaughan to Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee in

€10

Kildare Jazz Festival: Ta Tum Tum! Workshop (3-6 Years)

Newbridge Town Hall Main Street, Newbridge, Kildare, Ireland

Listen to the beat of your heart and unleash your little one's creativity in this exciting samba workshop for ages 3-6 with musicians Kasia and William. Discover the building blocks of samba as we play with rhythm and melody and explore music through creative movement, singing, sound exploration and body percussion! Little ones and their

€5

Kildare Jazz Festival: Ta Tum Tum! Workshop (7-12 years)

Newbridge Town Hall Main Street, Newbridge, Kildare, Ireland

Listen to the beat of your heart and unleash your little one's creativity in this exciting samba workshop for ages 7-12 years with musicians Kasia and William. Discover the building blocks of samba as we play with rhythm and melody and explore music through creative movement, singing, sound exploration and body percussion! Little ones and

€5

Kildare Jazz Festival: Bianca Gannon

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Described by JOLT as “redefining the idiom”, Bianca Gannon is a multidisciplinary art music composer and improviser. Exploring the surprising parallels and connections between seemingly disparate concepts, her free improvisations and instant-compositions traverse time, form and genre. The other-worldly extended harmonies and tunings of simultaneous piano + gamelan + singing bowls create an ethereal lyricism

€10

Kildare Jazz Festival: RBG Trio

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Formed in 2019, The RBG Trio is a collective of three of Ireland’s leading jazz artists – Meilana Gillard (tenor saxophone), Dave Redmond (bass), and Kevin Brady (drums). Renowned for their tight interplay and incredible storytelling, the band have carved out a ‘must see’ reputation. With blues always in their foundation, this groups sound ranges

€10

Kildare Jazz Festival: Rodrigo Almonte Sextet

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Rodrigo Almonte is a Peruvian guitarist and composer based in Dublin. He has played extensively on the Peruvian and European jazz scene with his own different musical projects. His lyrical melodies, fresh chords and intricate rhythms are equally present and well-balanced on his solos and compositions. With his South American and contemporary jazz influences, Almonte

€10

Kildare Jazz Festival: Afro-Brazilian Dance Workshop with Yves Lorrhan

Newbridge Town Hall Main Street, Newbridge, Kildare, Ireland

Afro-Brazilian dance is a joyful form of expression developed from African rhythms & movements. The natural rhythm of a diaspora culture combined with their Yoruba roots took on their own unique forms, transmitted orally through the resilience & powerful spirit of a community. We will be exploring Samba Dance, which is a joyful form of

€5

Kildare Jazz Festival: LR Project – Jazz & Bossa Nova

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

LR PROJECT, led by the two experienced and versatile musicians from Brazil: Luana Matos (Vocal) and Robson Rocha (Guitar), will deliver a beautiful musical experience full of the authentic Bossa Nova swing. The repertoire is also filled with Brazilian Popular Music (known as MPB) where you can hear a variety of Brazilian rhythms. Luana Matos

€10

Kildare Jazz Festival: Patrick Stefan

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Patrick Stefan is an award-winning Irish/Dutch songwriter from Co. Clare & Dublin. In 2023 Patrick sold out his album release show Wayfare (digitally released in late 2022) an alt-folk document of Patrick's unique & colourful travels from Scandinavia, Brazil, to west Africa and back home. After racking up over half a million streams on Superman

€10
Recurring

Science Magic: Messy Mayhem with Donal Vaughan

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

Donal Vaughan is coming back to Riverbank this November. Science Magic: Messy Mayhem has a cool bunch of ‘Outdoor Tricks’ from vomiting unicorns to exploding potions. Always exciting and sometimes very messy, learn about science and laugh your pants off while you do. And the best part is all the tricks can be performed by

€6

Carmen

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

When her mother is killed, Carmen flees Mexico, making a dangerous and illegal border crossing into the US. There she is almost murdered by a lawless volunteer border guard. His patrol partner, Aidan, saves her but shoots his partner dead. Thrown together by this violent act, Carmen and Aidan make their way north toward LA

€7 – €9
Recurring

The Odd Theatre Company Presents Once

Riverbank Arts Centre Main Street, Newbridge, Ireland

The Odd Theatre Company is proud to present the smash-hit musical Once, featuring the sensational music of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová. Based on the 2007 film of the same name, and including songs such as the Academy Award-winning Falling Slowly, Gold, and Leave, Once has received widespread critical acclaim on both sides of the

€20